Dregs
by Fabled Wings
Summary: "Growing up sure did you a bunch of good, Ryuuzaki." Bribeshipping for the YGO Fanfiction Contest S10R4.


Dregs

It took a second or two before she could recognize him. It had been years since she last saw the man leaning on the parapet beside her. He was still a teenager then, not the imposing adult standing before her. He constantly adjusted the collar of his slightly wrinkled black suit, obviously not used to wearing such formal outfits. He had snipped off the length of his brown hair, though it was still long enough to brush against said collar he was pulling at – again.

"Growing up sure did you a bunch of good, Ryuuzaki," Mai commented. He wasn't particularly tall for a guy in his early twenties, still a few centimeters shorter than Mai, but he had lost all the baby fat from his face, and had broader shoulders (although it may be because of shoulder paddings, who knows). "I thought you had disappeared from the dueling arena."

"Not a chance, Kujaku," Ryuuzaki swirled the glass of champagne in his fingers. "Life isn't just about dueling, y'know."

"That sounds like talk coming from you – or anyone attending this party, really."

Mai gestured to the open balcony doors, gloved fingers pointing towards the ballroom she had just vacated. It was an event held by Kaiba Corporation for the upcoming Battle City tournament, the fourth in its history. Every duelist that had signed up – veterans and newbies alike – were invited. Mai herself had chosen to sit out of this one; she was only present because Jounouchi had asked her to be his date. Said blond was currently hounded by some paparazzi, thus Mai had escaped from his side when she saw the chance.

"There is more to life than dueling," Ryuuzaki insisted. "Why else would you have started a chain of boutiques?"

"We're not Yuugi or Jounouchi, who can practically survive on their tournament winnings," Mai pointed out. "And I've always thought I had the charm of a business woman." Ryuuzaki snorted into the drink he had held to his lips for a sip. Mai glared daggers at him. "You're as bad as Jounouchi."

"Well, good thing I'm not the one that puts up with you on a daily basis," he sipped from his glass. When are you guys tying the knot?"

"Whenever Jounouchi's up for it, I guess," Mai laughed, and Ryuuzaki saw the bliss that flashed passed her eyes, of the many years she had been with the person she loves and the many more years ahead. "We're not in a hurry."

"Even though you're over thirty?"

"We have the rest of our lives together," the blonde shrugged and shifted her wavy long hair to her left shoulder. The soft night breeze was caressing her hair, letting strands fall across her face as she leaned her side against the railing.

It was a beautiful night; the moon wasn't visible from where they stood, thus giving the stars the chance to illuminate their brilliance against the indigo backdrop of the sky. The sounds of traffic were muffled, thanks to the distance Kaiba's backyard provided. Back in the ballroom, Kaiba's amplified voice had just begun to announce something or other, but Mai paid no heed.

"… This is the first time we're having a civil conversation, isn't it?" Mai started.

"You could say that," the younger man chuckled. "We've been at loggerheads since the first time we met – must be the champagne getting to my brain."

"That's just an excuse. So, since Jou's still caught up in there, let's attempt to keep this up. Where've you been in the last few years?"

"Travelling."

"Just travelling?"

"… And doing a bunch of incredibly normal but useful stuff thanks to my parents," Ryuuzaki continued. "After what happened with Dartz, they decided to put me in place when I eventually returned home by forcing me into things like go back to school and shit. I hated them so much for doing that, especially when they took my deck away."

He glanced up into amused yet interested violet eyes before continuing, "but when high school was done and I was accepted into a course for archaeology at the local college, I thought, this isn't so bad. Mum even returned my deck, so I started joining some small back alley tournaments, although college takes up so much of your time that dueling became one of those things that you shove into the back of your head. I believe that's what happened to Yuugi in the previous Battle City, or Kaiba wouldn't have grabbed victory from Jounouchi."

"You said you were travelling?"

"Mostly around Africa with some college friends. And then there was that dig in North America I was supposed to go to… but the admin fucked up my application."

"Language, kid. Sounds like you've been tamed considerably. I can't connect that obnoxious kid on the cruise to this person I'm sharing a conversation with."

"Haga said something similar, and I resent that obnoxious comment."

"You can't say it wasn't true then."

"Doesn't change my opinion."

They fell into silence again, a surprisingly companionable one. Ryuuzaki brought the glittering golden drink to his lips again.

"Hey, you know I had a crush on you, right?"

Mai turned her head sharply. That was not something she had expected, but she hid her shock quickly. Ryuuzaki didn't seem to have noticed, his eyes currently focused on the fountain below the balcony. "Don't let Jounouchi hear that."

"I'm not scared of him," the man smirked. "I was a teenager with raging hormones and you were a young woman with all the assets to trigger those hormones. I'm pretty sure every guy who's ever laid eyes on you had been bedazzled."

"I've accomplished what I set out to do then!" Mai giggled, then frowned as she thought of something. "Although I don't think that's very possible at my age now."

"You're still pretty." Mai raised an eyebrow at him. Realizing what he had just said, Ryuuzaki made haste to rectify his words. "I mean, from an objective viewpoint, anyone would be crazy to say you aren't. How else are you running a fashion business with such success?"

Mai glanced down at her dress – it was one from her newest collection, and her personal favourite as the dark purple matched her eyes perfectly. The strapless dress flowed down to billow out at the knees, the hem just brushing against the ground. A white, shimmering shawl around her neck and silver strapped heels completed the look. "You're making a lot of sense today, Ryuuzaki."

"I make sense all the time, Kujaku," Ryuuzaki smoothed back his hair with his free hand. "Oh hey, looks like lover-boy's finally here to rescue his princess."

"Shut it, Ryuuzaki," Jounouchi looked a little more flustered than when Mai last saw him. "Sorry, Mai, stupid paparazzi won't leave me alone, and then Kaiba pulled me aside for the usual taunts."

"Learn to ignore him, why don't you," Mai hooked an arm around Jounouchi's. "Well, it's been nice chatting with you, Ryuuzaki. Best of luck in the tournament."

"Looking forward to dueling you again," Jounouchi added. "You better have improved after all these years."

"You should be prepared for what I have in store," Ryuuzaki returned, and the couple left Ryuuzaki alone on the balcony with the night air.

Ryuuzaki downed the rest of his champagne in one gulp, and sighed as he glanced up at the night sky again, and the millions of stars twinkling down at him. "Mai Kujaku… crushes don't fade away that easily."


End file.
